Whirlpool of violence By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 29 The July 1983 holocaust opened the floodgates for Tamil youths looking to join various Tamil militant organizations. Until 1983, the Tamil militants had not received any proper training. The LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) managed to have a couple… Read more »
Posts Categorized: History
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 29
Prisoners massacred By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 28 The ethnic holocaust of 1983 was the last of the anti-Tamil program ingeniously devised, applied and implemented by the Sinhalese political leaders in the government for a “Final Solution” before embarking on full scale state-sponsored terrorism through military-adventurism. President Jayewardene said… Read more »
July 1983: Turning Point for Eelam Tamils
by M.K. Eelaventhan, July 27, 2019 Riots against the Tamil population in Sri Lanka have been a recurring event since 1956, commencing from our protests against the Sinhala Only Act. The year 1958 was on a larger scale covering the entire island. The keynote event was the burning of the chief priest of the Panandura… Read more »
Black July Pogroms
by People for Equality and Relief Lanka, July 26, 2019
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 28
Prelude to eruption By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 27 The British Governor, Sir Herbert Stanley (1927-1931), opened the parliament building fronting the ocean at Galle Face, Colombo, on January 29, 1930. It was designed for meetings of the Legislative Council, and subsequently the State Council (1931-1947). Initially, it seated… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 27
Horsewhip Amirthalingham By KT Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 26 Sri Lankan President JR Jayewardene, outlined his plans to appoint district ministers for all the 24 districts. It is believed that earlier in August 1978, in the course of a conversation with Ceylon Workers Congress (CWC) leader S Thondaman, Jayewardene outlined his… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 26
When conflict turns to terror By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 25 The most important order of business for the new government headed by J R Jayewardene was the drawing up of a new Constitution. During the opening of Parliament in August 1977, Jayewardene repeated his earlier promise, “an All-Party… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 25
War or peace? by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Time,’ Singapore, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 24 The general election for the eighth parliament of Sri Lanka was a turning point in the post-independence history of the country. It brought about marked ethnic polarization. Up to this point, it was distinctly a domestic issue, but after 1977… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 24
Tamil militancy – a manifestation by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Tribune,’ Singapore, January 26, 2002 Chapter 1 Chapter 23 The United Front government faced grave economic difficulties in 1973. It needed economic growth for its rampant nationalization programs. The government took over several business and industrial organizations from the private sector, employing over 100 people,… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 23
Srimavo’s constitutional promiscuity by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Tribune,’ Singapore, accessed October 17, 2017 Chapter 1 Chapter 22 “The Tamil-speaking people of Ceylon believe that only a federal type constitution would enable them to look after their own affairs alone and would safeguard them from total extinction. Only under such a constitution, the Tamil-speaking people… Read more »
Sergei De Silva-Ranasinghe’s Review Of Eelam War IV
Reflections by Michael Roberts, Colombo Telegraph, Sept. 17, 2016 DeSilva-Ranasinghe’s article – how-sri-lanka-won-the-unwinnable-war Asia Pacific Defence Reporter Sept 2009 This article – https://www.colombotelegraph.com/index.php/sergei-de-silva-ranasinghes-review-of-eelam-war-iv-reflections/ ADDENDUM, 14 September 2009 In analyzing historical issues over the years, I came to the conclusion that a multiplicity of factors generates the events that are understood to be major transformations – so… Read more »
Nine Decisions that Helped Lanka Beat LTTE
by V K Shashikumar, Indian Defence Review, October 2009 Not available in 2019 on Indian Defence Review website, but copied at http://www.sify.com/news/nine-decisions-that-helped-lanka-beat-ltte-imagegallery-0-international-kexv2Lbdede.html , accessed June 19, 2019 What we don’t see Will a good number of soldiers, tanks and artillery ensure victory in a war? These are outward aspects of a war which alone are… Read more »
Lessons from the War in Sri Lanka
by VK Sashikumar, Indian Defence Review – July – Sept 2009 – Vol 24(3) Lessons from Sri Lanka’s War – Indian Defence Review 2014 version, PDF http://www.indiandefencereview.com/spotlights/lessons-from-the-war-in-sri-lanka/0/ “The news about the killing of Prabhakaran sparked mass celebrations around the country, and people poured into the streets of Colombo, dancing and singing. Looking back at the… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 22
‘Only God Can Save the Tamils’ By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore Chapter 1 Chapter 21 “Aandavan than aeni Tamilarai Kappatra Mudyum” – Only god can save the Tamils – were the prophetic words of S J V Chelvanayakam, the leader of the Thamil Arasu Kadchi. Chelvanayakam sensed the gathering storms in the context of… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 21
A further lack of perspicuity By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore Chapter 1 Chapter 20 Dudley Senanyake was sworn in as the prime minister for the fourth time on March 25, 1965. A few weeks after resuming office, he was again afflicted with his peculiar stomach ailment. The pain affected him to the point… Read more »
Sri Lanka, MSF Amidst All-Out War
by Fabrice Weissman, Academia.edu, accessed June 2019 In Claire Magone et al. (ed.), Humanitarian Negotiations Revealed. The MSF Experience, London, Hurst & Co, 2011. Sri_Lanka_MSF_Amid_All-Out_War 2011 On 18 May 2009, the Sri Lankan government’s crushing victory over the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) put an end to twenty-six years of civil war. Described by… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 20
Tamil leadership lacks perspicuity By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, December 22, 2001 Chapter 1 Chapter 19 This is a story of another agreement. This time between S J V Chelvanayakam, the leader of the Ilankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi and Dudley Senanayake, the leader of the United National Party. In short, another agreement entered… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 19
Anguish and pain By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore, December 15, 2001 Chapter 1 Chapter 18 The government led by Srimavo Bandaranaike, issued a Treasury circular No 560 of December 1961, which stated that government servants appointed since 1956, should obtain minimum proficiency in the official language – Sinhala, to retain their posts, as… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 18
Srimavo – Weeping arrogance By K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore Chapter 1 Chapter 17 The defeat in the parliamentary elections of March 1960, clearly indicated that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party needed a popular leader, who could put the party back in the saddle. Accordingly, the SLFP stalwarts, on May 24, 1960, elected Sirimavo… Read more »
Sri Lanka: The Untold Story, Chapter 17
Assassination of Bandaranaike by K T Rajasingham, ‘Asian Times,’ Singapore Chapter 1 Chapter 16 Bandaranaike, Solomon West Ridgeway Dias (1899-1959), the prime minister of Ceylon (1956-59), whose election marked a significant change socially and ethnically in the political history of modern Ceylon, was born on January 8. His father was the only son of Gate… Read more »